Hydraulic feed-clutch mechanism.



s. H. KEEPER. k HYDRAULIC FEED CLUTCH MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2. 1910 Patented Mar. 14, 1911.

V \gy 1 l I 6 l l I I I I II UNITED STATES PATENT oE IoE.

SAMUEL H. KEEPER, OF PLAINFIELID, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO NILES-IBEMENT-POND COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OFNEW JERSEY.

HYDRAULIC FEED-CLUTCH MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 14, 1911.

Application filed November 2, 1910. Serial No. 590,338.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL H. KEEFER, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Plainfield, Union county, New J ersey, have inventedcertain Improvements in Hydraulic .Feed- Clutch Mechanism, of which thefollowing is a specification.

One object of my invention is to provide a novel form of clutch whichshall be capable of adjustment to transmit power from a driving to adriven member for a predetermined time and which shall thereafterautomatically cause said two members to be operativcly disconnected; itbeing especially desired that the various parts constituting myinvention shall be few in number as well as simple and substantial inconstruction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hydraulic clutchmechanism particularly adapted for use in connection with a structurehaving a reciprocating or oscillating part and which shall be capable oftransmitting power to a driven member from a suitable source for apredetermined time, after which it shall automatically act to disconnectsaid member from said source; it being also desired that the inventionshall include means whereby the time that the driving and driven membersare connected may be varied within certain limits.

These objects and other advantageous ends I secure as hereinafter setforth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure1, is a llOIlZOllLul. section illustrating the detail construction of myinvention, and Fig. 2, is a vertical section, taken at right angles tothe section of Fig. 1.

In the above drawings 1 represents a shaft connected to a source ofpower such as a reversing motor and which is driven thereby first in onedirection and then in the other. On this shaft is fixed a gear 2designed to closely fit within a body 3 keyed or otherwise fixed to asecond shaft 4; this body having a removable end plate ans shown andbeing provided with recesses for three or any desired number of gears 6so mounted as to mesh with the teeth of the gear 2. Considering thislatter gear and one of the planetary gears 6, it will be seen that thereare provided in the body 3 two chambers 7 and 8 on opposite sides of thegear 6 into which this latter and the gear 2 open adjacent their pointsof engagement.

Obviously there are two chambers placed as indicated above, to each ofthe gears 6.

The shafts with the mechanism heretofore described are preferablyinclosed by a casing 9, in the present instance made concentric withsaid shafts and containing some liquid such as glycerin, oil or thelike, and there. is a port 10 extending radially outward from each ofthe chambers 7 so as to open to the casing 9; there being similar ports11 leading radially outward from the chambers 8 and also communicatingwith the interior of the casing, whose outer shell is s aced somedistance away from the body 3. ounted on this body is acircumferentially movable sleeve 12 having a projecting lug 13, itsmovement being limited however by two fixed lugs 14 and 14 preferablyformed integral with the part 3. The sleeve 12 has two sets of portsindicated at 15 and 16; the first being so placed as to be capable ofpermitting free flow of liquid throu h the ports 10 from the chambers 7into t e interior of the casing 9 at such time as the lug 13 is inengagement with the lug 14. This lug 13 projects laterally from the part13 so as to be capable 'of engaging either of the lugs 14 or 14. Theorts 16 are so placed that under these condltions the ports 11 areclosed by the sleeve 12, but when the lug 13 is in engagement with thelug 14 said ports 16 are in line with the ports 11 and permit freecommunication or flow of liquid between the interior of the casing 9 andthe chambers 8. A pair of dogs 17 and 18 are mounted so as to projectwithin the casing 9 and are capableof being engaged by the lug 13 so asto cause motion of the sleeve .12 upon the body 3; being adjustablymounted to permit of variation of their angular distance apart withinsaid casing. For example I have shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 thesedogs in two others of their ossible positions and for purposes ofadustment I have shown them as connected to or forming part of curvedracks 17" and 18 respectively engaged by the pinions 17 and 18 which maybe turned at will by operating cranks 17 and 18 outside the easing 9.

With the above described arrangement of parts I may connect the shaft 1to a driving motor of the reversing type, although any other suitablesource of power may be em-- ployed, while the shaft 4 is connected tosame machine or device to be operated, such as a planer. If now, themotor be operated to turn the shaft 1 in a counterclockwise direction,as indicated by the arrow, liquid will be drawn from the casing 9through the ports 15 and 10 into the chambers 7, from whence it will becarried by the gear Wheels into the chambers 8 and ports 11; it beingunderstood that there is suflicient liquid in said casing to at alltimes cover the ports 15 and 16. Since these latter are closed ed by thesleeve 12, the gears 6 will almost immediately be prevented from furtherrevolution by the accumulated liquid, and the body 3, with the sleeve12, will-likewise be carried around in a counterclockwise directionuntil the lug 13 strikes the lug 17. Since, however, the shaft 4 iskeyed to or forms part of the body 3, it likewise will be driven in acounterclockwise direction for the same length of time. Engagement ofthe lug 13 with the dog 17 causes the sleeve 12 to be held still whilethe body 3 rotates sufliciently to cut ofl the ports 10 fromcommunication with the interior of the casing 9 and establishcommunication between said casing and the chambers 8 by reason of theports 16 being brought into line with the ports 11. Liquid is'at onceexhausted from said latter ports 11 and chambers 8 and the continuedrevolution of the shaft 1 causes the gear 2 with the gear 6 to quicklyexhaust all liquid from the chamber 7 and ports 10, whereu on the body 3is operatively disconnected rom the gear 2 since the gears 6 are free toturn idly relatively thereto. The shaft 1 may now continue to turn in acounterclockwise direction until such time as some tormof reversingdevice, forming no part of the present invention, causes it to be drivenin an opposite direction, where upon liquid is drawn from the casing 9,through the ports 16 and 11 into the chambers 8, and thence caused toaccumulate in the chambers 7 and the ports 10. As a result the gears 6are again locked from movement and with the body 3 are turned by theshaft 1 and gear 2 in .a clockwise direction until the lug 13, beingbrought into engagement with the dog 18, is moved thereby into theposition shown in Fig. 1. Liquid is thus exhausted from the ports 11 andchambers 8 into chambers 7 and orts 10 and 15 the former ports and cambers being emptied as in Fig. 1, the gears 6 are again permitted toturn idly without moving the body 3, and the shaft 1 is free to continueits revolution until suchtime as it is again reversed.

Whilel have described the device as if it were connected to a reversinmotor and a planer, it is to be understood hat the'invention is by nomeans limited to such a combination, since it may be used with otherdevices without departing from my inveneeenao tion Wherever it isdesired to intermittently transmit movement.

I claim 1 The combination of a liquid containing casing; a driving and adriven member therein; a liquid controlling element for the drivenmember actuated by the driving member; with means for alternatelypermitting and preventing flow of liquid under the action of saidelement.

2. The combination of a liquid containing casing; a driving and a drivenmember therein; a liquid controlling element for the driven memberactuated by the driving member; with a valve foralternately permittingand preventing flow-of liquid under action of said element.

3. The combination of a liquid containing casing; a driving and a drivenmember therein; liquid controlling elements on the driven memberactuated by the driving member; means for alternately permitting andpreventing flow of liquid under the action of said elements; and adevice for actuating said means.

4;. The combination of a liquid containing casing; a driving and adriven member therein; a liquid propelling element on the driven memberactuated by the driving member; a valve for alternately permitting andpreventing flow of liquid under the action of said element; and a'dogfor operating said valve. 7

5. The combination of a liquid containing casing; a driving and a drivenmember therein; a liquid propelling element on the driven memberactuated by the driving member; a valve for alternately permitting andpreventing flow of liquid under the action or said element; and two dogsfor alternately actuating said valve.

6. The combination of a liquid containing casing; a driving and a drivenmember therein; a liquid propelling element on the driven memberafctuated by the driving member; means for alternately permittin andpreventing flow of liquid under the action of said element; and anadjustable dog for actuating said'means. I

7. The combination of a liquid containing casing; a driving and a drivenmember therein; a liquid. propelling element on the driven memberactuated by the driving member; with a valve for alternately permittingand preventing flow of liquid under the action of the propellingelement.

8. The combination of a liquid containing casing; a driving and-a drivenmember therein .a liquid propelling element on the driven memberactuated by the driving member with a valve for alternatelypermittingand preventing flow ofliquid underthe action of the propellingelement; and adjustable means for determining the times of action of thevalve.

9. The combination of a liquid containing casing; a driving and a drivenmember therein; a liquid propelling element on the driven memberactuated by the driving member; a valve for alternately permitting andpreventing flow of liquid under the action of said element; a dog foroperating said valve; and means for limiting the movement of the valve.

10. The combination of rotary driving and driven members; a liquidcontaining casing surroundin said members; a valve for governing the owof liquid in the casing and capable of adjustment to cause it to couplethe driving and the driven members; with means. for periodicallyshifting the valve.

11. The combination of drivin and driven members; a pump having itselements respectively connected to said members; a liquid containingcasing surrounding the aforesaid parts; a valve controlling the fiow ofliquid to the pump and capable of causing said liquid to operativelycouple the elements thereof; with means for periodically shifting thevalve.

12. The combination of a driving mem ber turned alternately in oppositedirections; a driven member; and hydraulic means for coupling saidmembers, including a valve capable o causing coupling of the members foreither direction of movement of the driving member; and means forautoma'tically causing uncouplin of the members after they ha-ve'turnedtlirough a predetermined are.

13. The combination of a liquid containing casing; a driving and adriven member; a gear in the casing connected to the driving member; astructure connected to the driven member and having a cavity for saidgear; a second gear mounted on said structure and meshing with the firstgear; there being cavities in the structure on opposite sides of saidgears adjacent their points of engagement and passages opening from saidcavities into the casing; a

valve for governing the flow of liquid throu h said passages; and meansfor perio ically shiftingsaid valve.

14. The combination of a liquid containing casing; a driving and adriven mem ber; a gear in the casing connected to the drivin member; astructure connected to the driven member and having a cavity for saidgear; a second gear mounted on said structure and meshing with the firstgear; there being cavities in the structure on op-' posite sides of saidgears adjacent their points of engagement and opening into the casing; avalve for governing the flow of liquid through said cavities; andadjustable dogs for periodically shifting said valve.

15. The combination of a 1i uid containing casing; a structure rotata 1ymounted.

therein; two inter-meshing gears mounted within recesses in saidstructure, one of said gears being bodily movable with said structure;cavities in the structure on opposite sides of the gears and openinginto the easing; a valve for controlling thcflow of liquid through saidpassages under the action of said gears; and means for periodicallyactuating said valve.

16. The combination of a li uid containing casing; a structure rotata lymounted therein; a main gear operatlve in a cavity of the structure andconcentric therewith; a plurality of auxiliary gears also mounted incavities of the structure and meshing with the main gear; there beingtwo chambers respectively on opposite sldes of each pair formed by themain gear and one of the auxiliary gears; a valve for controllmg theflow of liquid from said chambers to the casing; and means forperiodically actuating said valve.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL H. KEEFER.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM E. BRADLEY, WM. A. BARR.

